Just in Time
by Quig Alchemist
Summary: In this episode 50 and 51 rewrite, time traveling is the key to saving Ed and Al's life. Find out what differences change the ending forever.


Author's Note: First off, I don't own any right to Fullmetal Alchemist, or its characters. Don't sue me.

Now, this story runs from the 51st episode when Ed dies, and Al tries to save him. I just rewrote the tail end of 50 and most of 51. So have fun reading my slightly tweaked version, and enjoy!

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"Edward!" Rose screamed, as she saw the fallen alchemist lying in a pool of blood. She began to run, wanting to offer any help she could, but was restrained by another alchemist, Dante.

Envy stood, hand on his hip, and sneered at the blonde boy before him.

"That was too easy!" Envy chuckled. "Humans are so pathetic."

"Brother no! You can't die…" Al Mumbled, unbelieving. "It's supposed to be me!" He lay, tied with alchemy to the glowing transmutation circle on the floor, watching the gruesome scene helplessly.

"He's…dead?" Wrath asked weakly from across the room.

"That's right! He's setting the pace for every human to follow." Envy replied demonically. "Now we'll kill off each one of them until only homunculi are left!" He said this almost gleefully, followed by a blood-curdling laugh that echoed throughout the room.

"Brother can't die. That ridiculous! He wouldn't let that happen. He couldn't…"

"That's reality for you. All the effort he gave got him nothing in return." Dante grinned and narrowed her eyes with malice. "You can pay all you want; it's never enough."

Gluttony charged Alphonse, tongue dripping saliva, and eyes wide with pure gluttony. The mindless monster began to inhale pieces of Al's armor, bite after bite.

"Don't do this." Rose pleaded, as she watched Gluttony devour Al's metal body. Then there was a faint sound, and Gluttony stood up, blubbering. Half of his bottom jaw was missing.

"He used alchemy…with the Stone." Envy said quietly, observing as Al rose to his feet, breaking the connection with the transmutation circle that had earlier held him captive. Dante rushed forward shouting, but Al raised a hand for her to halt.

"Stay back! You can't make me do anything!" Al yelled, and approached his dead brother. He knelt down beside him, and touched Ed's cheek lightly. "Brother hasn't been dead for long. Look, there's still some color in his face." Al was quiet for a moment, pondering the possibilities. "It's never been attempted by an alchemist before." Al whispered, and gazed into his brother's lifeless eyes. He began to clap his hands, but then hesitated. Envy let out a bellow and began to charge Al. "Please God let this work." He prayed, and then proceeded in clapping his hands together.

Whatever it was that led Alphonse to thinking that he could actually rewind time baffled even himself for years to come. Alchemist had never tried it; for some, the thought had never even crossed their mind, but for that brief moment, Al believed that he could do it.

Alphonse glowed with the crimson runes and markings of the Philosopher's Stone. He looked all around as everything stopped. Though he saw no one with him any longer, he could just _feel_ the change. He even glanced over at a solitary torch on the wall. Nothing moved. The once flickering orange flame was now frozen in time.

Then everything grew strangely different in less than an instant. The world he knew moments before was gone, replaced by an unrecognizable sense of being. The air seemed to warp and disfigure the familiar shapes around him. Pressure built to unearthly amount, and if Al still had a normal body instead of a steel one (not to mention his body was now enhanced due to the Stone) he would have surely succumbed to its force.

Time can be a powerful ally, but it can also be an enemy. Even a precious second could cost a life, maybe even gain one. In Al's situation, every second counted in saving his beloved brother. Before he could count to three, time rewound the grim scene of death. He almost wanted to look away as the blood seeped back into Edward's wounds, and the blonde regained lost breath once again. Envy also reappeared, standing next to Ed, laughing.

"Brother…" Al murmured grimly, as the homunculi's blade arm emerged from Ed's back once again, and then slowly retracted. Ed was back in control now; punching Envy's every face he had morphed into unnaturally.

_No! I won't let this happen! _Al thought frantically. _I have to stop this._ Al attempted to at the two half brothers fighting to the death. The moment his foot inched forward, the spell was broken. The scene cracked and shattered before him, revealing a normal world.

Everything once again played out at a normal speed, just as it had minutes before, but Al was only steps away from the two had taken this fight far beyond a mere brother's quarrel.

Ed had just punched Envy's disguise as Roy, claiming that there wasn't an easier target.

"Do you really want to see?" Envy asked deep with narrowed eyes.

"Stop jerking me around!" Edward screamed, flying a solid punch directly at his adversary.

"You asked for it!" Envy yelled, and shifted right before Ed's eyes. Ed's fist shook wildly, as he saw the true form of his half brother. "What's wrong?" Envy asked, seeing Edward's hesitation. "I thought you wanted to see."

"You're his son…" Ed mumbled softly.

"I never did like being replaced." Envy said darkly.

"Ed!" Shouted Al, as he sprinted forward. "No!" Al dived towards the blondes just as Envy stabbed his deadly blow upward. The blade stabbed into air that was possessed by Ed, by the time Al arrived. Al knocked Edward away form danger, and sent him sprawling across the floor.

"Al?" Ed inquired, rising shakily from his stomach. His gaze drifted to the place he was an instant before, and gasped. Envy's arm had struck not the older brother, but the younger one with the hollow shell.

Crying was something Ed hadn't done in the longest stretch of time. Nothing could break down his emotions…but now something wrenched out his heart, as a tear slid solemnly down his cheek.

Al had sacrificed himself. Envy's blade pierced Al's blood seal regardless of how much his armor was reinforced. Homunculi could counteract the Stone's power if they had eaten enough of the smaller ones.

"Brother…" Al gasped out weakly. "I…" He had turned his head to face the stunned older brother that was rooted to the spot. "This is for you Brother." Alphonse said one last time, and clapped his hands before Envy.

As this occurred, Envy was just as surprised as Edward. His mouth hung open, but the corners soon curled into a smirk of satisfaction.

"At least I got one of _his _sons." Envy laughed, but then heard Al's last lament to his brother, and was suddenly alarmed. His eyes flickered with fear, as the dying metal boy before him clapped his hands. "What are you doing?" Envy asked fearfully.

Envy then felt a solid tug that seemed to drag him away from Alphonse. He dug in his fingernails uselessly into the floor, trying desperately to hold on. Envy glanced over his shoulder, and screamed. The dark and demented gate was sucking him into its darkest bowels.

"Stop it!" He shouted, throwing a tantrum like a child. "You can't do this to me!" The lower part of his body was completely emerged in blackness, as the tiny hands grabbed Envy, pulling in his remaining body parts that were still clinging for his life. "No!" He screamed once more, as the gate closed, leaving him to be tortured for an eternity within its doors.

Alphonse's body lay in a heap on the shimmering floor. Edward sat with wide eyes, tears slowly leaking down his face. The shinning droplets were streaked with blood and sweat, as they dripped into a puddle. Ed crawled on hands and knees towards his brother, afraid of what he might find.

"Al?" Ed called softly, reaching with a shaking hand towards the cold steel. His fingertips needed only to brush the surface for him to know for sure: Al was gone. Ed laid his palm flat, and dipped his head low, sobbing with remorse. Edward lifted the scratched and dented metal helmet, and clutched it to his chest. Crystal teardrops splashed on the gray steel, as Ed sat alone.

Dante, Rose, and Gluttony had either fled, or were lost in the time transmutation. Ed never knew for sure.

"After all this…" Edward whispered, choking on his sobs. "You died, except this time…I couldn't save you."

"Ed." Said a small voice from the shadows. Ed's shot up, and scanned all around with puffy red eyes.

"Whose there?" He called as forcefully as possible, trying not to let the sadness creep from his voice. Ed was looking strait ahead, but the enormous room deceived the true direction of the voice. A small hand grasped his shoulder.

"Ed." Whispered the same nearly inaudible, and yet echoing voice. Edward turned around slowly, not believing the sight before him for the second time that day.

"Alphonse?" The words tumbled off his tongue unsurely. The boy that stood before him with soft blue eyes and a warm smile nodded slowly.

"It's me Brother." A slightly older Al knelt down next to his older sibling and smiled again. His flat brown hair swished from his eyes, and he extended a hand to help Edward to his feet.

Ed could only mumble, as he grasped the young boy's hand. "How…? I saw you die…" The words faded, but Al merely shook his head, laughing.

"No Ed." He chuckled. "In my last attempt to save both you and me, as my blood seal was broken, I clapped my hands and summoned the gate. In doing so, I sacrificed the remaining powers of the Philosopher's Stone and Envy's body."

"So Envy is…"

"Yes, Envy has been lost…forever."

"But you're here to stay right?" Ed asked hopefully, as he was pulled to his feet with Al's help.

"Of course!" Alphonse replied happily. "I never want to leave you again." Ed still grasped the helmet that his brother had used for so long. He couldn't let go just yet. He took a deep breath, and closed his eyes, trying not to be overwhelmed in emotion.

"Brother?" Al questioned, watching Ed pause momentarily. "Are you ready to go back to Resembool?" Ed took another breath, clearing his mind, and then snapped his eyes open with a look of the same intensity and determination Al knew so well.

"What are we waiting for? Let's go!" Ed cheered, thrilled to be returning home. He wrapped an arm lovingly around his younger brother, and smiled, dropping the steel helmet. It clattered to the floor with a final feeling, leaving all the resent, remorse, and regret behind.

Then Ed stopped suddenly.

"Did you…get _taller _than me?" Shouted Ed, measuring the two heights with an open palm. Al just giggled as the two walked towards the exit that was waiting to reveal the rest of their lives. Who knew what would happen beyond those doors, but one thing was for sure: Edward and Alphonse would be just in time.

The End

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Author's Note: Hiyo! I hope that you all enjoyed this story! I'm a big fan of time traveling theories, so this was the perfect plot line for my ideal ending! (I know…kinda crazy.) Thanks for reading, and tell me what you think!


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